BY THE NUMBERS: Japanese visas soar with tourism push

Chinese tourists walk around the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo, Friday, June 10, 2016. As Japan steps up its efforts to attract overseas tourists, the number of visas issued hit a record high in 2015. Not all foreign nationals require visas to enter Japan, but data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reflect the overall growth in tourism and the sharp rise in travelers from China. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) (The Associated Press)

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Chinese tourists wait in queue to get on a bus at the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo, Friday, June 10, 2016. As Japan steps up its efforts to attract overseas tourists, the number of visas issued hit a record high in 2015. Not all foreign nationals require visas to enter Japan, but data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reflect the overall growth in tourism and the sharp rise in travelers from China. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) (The Associated Press)

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Chinese tourists rest on the ground at the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo, Friday, June 10, 2016. As Japan steps up its efforts to attract overseas tourists, the number of visas issued hit a record high in 2015. Not all foreign nationals require visas to enter Japan, but data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reflect the overall growth in tourism and the sharp rise in travelers from China. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) (The Associated Press)

TOKYO – As Japan steps up its efforts to attract overseas tourists, the number of visas issued hit a record high in 2015. Not all foreign nationals require visas to enter Japan, but data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reflect the overall growth in tourism and the sharp rise in travelers from China. Here's a look, by the numbers, at Japanese visas in 2015.

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4,768,286: Total visas issued in 2015, a 66 percent increase from 2014

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3,780,773: Visas for Chinese nationals, 79 percent of the total

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3,156,259: Number of Chinese tourists using the most common tourist visas